Closed tunnel on Spain-France route poses problems for rail freight

Rail traffic along the Madrid-Irún line, which connects the Spanish capital to France and is part of the TEN-T Atlantic Corridor, has been halted since 8 May due to a damaged tunnel. The line was supposed to reopen on Monday 20 May, but new information says this will not happen before Saturday 25 May. This…

Closed tunnel on Spain-France route poses problems for rail freight

Rail traffic along the Madrid-Irún line, which connects the Spanish capital to France and is part of the TEN-T Atlantic Corridor, has been halted since 8 May due to a damaged tunnel. The line was supposed to reopen on Monday 20 May, but new information says this will not happen before Saturday 25 May. This…

Not a word about rail freight in Dutch coalition agreement

It was a long and complex process, which many expected to fail at one point or another. After half a year, the Dutch coalition negotiations have ended with an agreement between four right-wing parties. The Dutch rail freight sector will likely look at the agreement with a sense of disappointment, because the agreement makes not…

Swiss Council asks for public funds to invest in private rail freight facilities

The Swiss Federal Council is asking for 188,8 million euros (185 million francs) for investments in private rail freight facilities, such as terminals and sidings, between 2025 and 2028. Applicants would have to commit to finance at least 40 per cent of the project they want to subsidise with these funds. The money would come…

Latvia appoints special Rail Baltica secretary amid strategy change

In the midst of a troubled implementation of Rail Baltica in Latvia, the country is undergoing a strategy change. Latvia is centralising the project’s management under the transport ministry. Kristine Malnača, formerly employed at Rail Baltica, will be deputy state secretary for Rail Baltica affairs, starting in June. Malnača will be leading a Rail Baltica…

Is the Capacity Management Directive taking the wrong turn?

The Greening Freight Transport Package (GFTP) seemed to be a sign of EU-wide political will to bring significant changes and improve the transport sector in the continent. The Regulation on the Use of Railway Infrastructure Capacity was supposed to be the flagship of this Package, which is why it was received with the most optimism…

Iran and India overcome key hurdle for Chabahar’s INSTC port operation

Iran and India have signed an agreement that will enable the purchase of cargo handling equipment for the port of Chabahar. The port, located in the south of Iran and a key node of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), is operated by India. The question of cargo handling equipment has stalled operations at the…

Kazakhstan to introduce AI and build 5 border hubs by 2030

Kazakhstan intends to expand its logistics infrastructure by five more transport hubs. The hubs are supposed to expand the capacity of the Eurasian transport network. The Central Asian country also plans to introduce AI into its rail operations and expand its railway infrastructure. At a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union, Kazakh president Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev…

Services disrupted this weekend for Midland Main Line upgrade work

Major work to enable bi-mode trains to run at 125mph.